


Family Nostalgia

by orphan_account



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Adoption, F/F, Happy Life, Married Couple, Married Life, Sibling Incest, Sibling Love, Wholesome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-03
Updated: 2020-01-21
Packaged: 2021-01-21 02:56:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 19,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21292481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Adora and Catra are happily married, and Catra is taking some time to be nostalgic and reminisce. Also Adora and Catra adopted Frosta, and i'm as lost as you are as to why i wrote that in there.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 85





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Adrian_B](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adrian_B/gifts).

“Catra's been in a nostalgic mood lately.” Adora told Glimmer. They had got together for some coffee on Glimmer's day off from work. Adora didn't really have a schedule, to be fair she didn't even have a job. Why would she need one when her wife was a musician. At least that's how Catra put it. She shouldn't have to work, Catra would put it, being my wife is more than enough work. 

“Good or bad nostalgia?” Glimmer said taking a sip. She always loved to hear about Adora's love life, it was always more exciting than her own. Even if Adora was married, it wasn't like her relationship stagnated in any way. 

“Hard to say. But she's been looking through old stuff and even last night she called Shadow Weaver to see if she had some old things of mine.” Adora answered.

“Wow, she called Shadow Weaver? I would have figured she would never call that woman in a million years from the way she talks about her.” Glimmer said. Whenever her and Catra could catch up she would curse their moms name whenever the topic came up. 

“I know she likes to talk a great deal about how much she doesn't like Shadow Weaver. I think she just finds it fun you know? Sticking it to the man, even if she was a pretty awful parent. But Catra likes Shadow Weaver, in a weird way.”

“Well wouldn't it be a bad thing for her to be nostalgic enough to call her? Maybe she's having a relapse?” Glimmer suggested.

“A relapse to what?” Adora scoffed. “A relapse to when she respected Shadow Weaver? I don't think so. If anything that would be brand new.”

“Well you live with her. Speaking of which did you guys get that couch moved in?” 

“Oh yeah, I totally forgot about that.” Adora said, chuckling. “Yeah we got it moved in.”

Later that evening Adora had stripped down and settled under the sheets. Catra watched her with a smile on her face all the while. “I'm the luckiest woman to ever live.” Catra said to herself, loud enough to put a smile on Adora's face. 

“You've been acting weird lately? Something good happen with the band? A new album deal? A record company?” Adora asked. “Oh I know, did Frosta call you mom by accident?”

“I can't be in good spirits for a change?” Catra asked. 

“Not without suspicion.” Adora said with a smirk. “Cough it up, what's going on?”

“Geez Adora. It's just been a string of good luck is all.” Catra started explaining. “Nothing's really gone wrong lately and I got to take you out to dinner twice this week. I can't be happy I'm spending more time with my wife?”

Adora blushed and pulled Catra closer to her under the covers. “Aw, that's sweet Catra. But really, did Perfuma give you some free catnip?”

Catra let out a high pitched laugh before responding. “Okay yeah a little.”

Things were silent after that for a while. Adora was nearly asleep, listening to Catra's breaths before in a quiet voice Catra started to speak again. “I think we were five when it happened.”

“Okay girls.” Shadow Weaver told the two five year old's in front of her. “I'm going to sit here at this bench and watch you, so don't go anywhere I can't see. If you do you'll be in trouble when we get home.”

“Yes mommy!” Adora and Catra said as they ran over to the playground. They had plenty of fun playing hide and seek and army and even princess brawl. Eventually they tired themselves out on the playground and headed for the sand pit. 

“I call the bulldozer!” Adora said as she jumped over the wood surrounding the sand. 

“It's not a bulldozer Adora!” Catra said. “Mom called it an excavator! And I get to use it because I got the name right!” 

“No fair, I called it.” Adora whined. As Catra jumped onto the seat of the small sand box toy. Catra quickly started flailing the two levers trying to figure out how to move the small machine. 

“I didn't hear you call it.” Catra teased. “And I'm already on it, so bleh!” Catra said sticking her tongue out. “And because I get this, you can be the queen of sand.” 

“Fine, but you're gonna be jealous you didn't help me make my castle.” Adora teased back, picking up a bucket and getting to work. 

“What we need is a dad.” Catra said. “Guys are supposed to know all about that kind of thing.”

“Kyle said his dad proposed with a ring, do you think all married people have rings?” Adora asked. Adora's eyes suddenly lit up. “Do you think Angella is going to give mom a ring?”

“But Angella isn't a guy, I think it's just guys that give rings. Maybe Angella will give a necklace? What are girls supposed to propose with?” Catra asked.

Adora thought hard and paused building her sandcastle before an idea came to mind. “A stick!” Adora yelled. “In that movie we watched yesterday, the lady had a cool walking stick right?” 

“You fell asleep halfway through that movie.” Catra said. “And besides, she ended up with a guy. Come to think of it, I haven't seen girls get married in movies. Can girls even get married?”

“Sure they can.” Adora said. “Angella is mom's girlfriend, and girlfriends become wives.” 

“Two moms, that would be awesome!” Catra said. “We'd get twice as much allowance.” 

“I have an idea.” Adora said.

“What?”

“Why don't we get married?” Adora said with a grin. “Hold on a second.” Adora got up and went over to a nearby tree and pulled on some branches. Eventually after all her pulling Adora snapped off a branch. Catra at this point had gotten off the toy and was sitting on the wood brick stopping the sand from leaving. Resting her head on her hands. 

“Adora I wanna go swing now.” Catra complained. 

“In a second, you gotta do this first.” Adora said as she ran back over to the sand pit. Adora stopped a foot ahead of Catra and held out the stick. “Take it.”

Catra stood up and snatched the stick away from Adora. She had managed to grab the only branch without any tiny stems growing off of it. Perfect for a walking stick. “Are you proposing?”

“Yeah, let's promise to get married one day.” Adora said, which caused Catra to grin.

“You serious?!” Catra exclaimed. “Totally, boys are nasty anyway.”

“You may now kiss the bride.” Adora said. “That's what they say in all the movies.” Catra leaned in and gave Adora a quick peck on the cheek, to Adora's disappointment. “You're supposed to kiss me on the lips.”

“Ew, no way, I'm not kissing you.” Catra laughed and pushed Adora away a little.

“You gotta do it.” Adora said puckering her lips and walking closer to Catra. 

“No, get away from me!” Catra screamed as she ran away, Adora following close behind. 

Adora was fast asleep by the time Catra was done reminiscing. Her words were whispers anyway. She could barely hear herself speak with the fans in the walls going. Catra was just going through her memories, seeing when else she was happy. And although she promised not to tell, Frosta did call her mom earlier that day. Which for her was a major success. Having Frosta, a punk teenager they adopted, call her mom made her proud. Back when she was a teenager she never would have called Shadow Weaver mom. She had stopped doing that by the time she was in third grade. Catra wasn't even sure what she had done right. Maybe just not being as psychotic as Shadow Weaver was enough to be a good parent. Or maybe Frosta didn't actually have the problems with them she pretended to have. Either way, she was called mom. That was enough for her. 

Catra couldn't sleep. Her mind was still awake from her little memory. Unintentionally trying to urge herself to continue it mentally as a dream didn't help her fall asleep. If anything it kept her awake. All she really could do was lie there and wait until she could fall asleep. Adora was fast asleep with arms around her wrapped tightly so she couldn't really go anywhere. 

Since she was on the track anyway she continued to think about that small moment. They were kids, and they made a promise to get married, sorta. Technically, she thought, they've been married for the past twenty two years of their life as opposed to the last seven. Which was a funny thought. There were plenty of things from her childhood she couldn't remember but what she did was cute. Catra thought about it for a while, their marriage. They had one when they were five. They had one when they were twenty. And they were coming up on their eighth anniversary. Maybe that would be a good time to renew her vows. They have a kid now, new friends. It would be nice getting married again. After all, Catra loved Adora enough to marry her in the first place. And she felt she could marry Adora again, and again, and again, no matter how many times. And what's the point of having so many new friends if she didn't get to invite them to their wedding. 

That's it, Catra decided, wedding anniversary idea, seems like a good one. She'll bring it up tomorrow if she remembers. 

“Feline and furry, you guys slept in.” Frosta said knocking on their door. “And I have a test today.”

Adora groaned and loudly mumbled, “Is the test in the morning?”

“First class of the day, so yeah.” Frosta yelled. 

Adora groaned and covered her face, wiping away her tiredness. Catra reached over to their dresser, wide awake, and checked the time. 

“How about I take her? She has to leave soon and I don't think you'll be ready in time.” Catra asked.

“Are you sure?” Adora asked, not even opening her eyes. 

“Yeah I'm sure, you can keep being naked.” Catra said getting up. 

“Nice.” Adora chuckled before rolling back over and back to sleep. 

Catra opened the dresser and pulled out some grey sweatpants. She considered whether or not it was okay for her to not put a shirt on. She'd only be going out to her car and back inside. It's not like she was going to school with Frosta. Catra caved and grabbed out a red tee shirt.

“Just to be clear,” Catra said, walking out her door to meet a tired Frosta. “you would have gone to school anyway, test or no test.”

“Whatever.” Frosta said walking down the hall. 

“I'm serious, I was totally awake and already getting ready to take you.” Catra said following her down the hall. “And even if I wasn't I expect you to take the bus.”

“I can't take the bus.” Frosta said annoyed.

“What do you mean you can't take the bus?” Catra asked.

“Adora didn't tell you?” Frosta asked, without waiting for an answer. “When Adora went in to register me in school we both forgot about the bus, and now the bus doesn't stop on this street.” 

“Sure it does, it comes by in a few minutes.” Catra said, confused.

“That's the elementary school bus.” Frosta said condescendingly.

“Oh.”

“So that's why I need you to take me to school, since Adora isn't doing it this morning.” Frosta said. “And yes, I tried to go in and get on the bus route. But the principle doesn't exactly like anyone so she refused.”

“She refused?” Catra scoffed. “I think I can fix that. I'll just go in and flash some money and get you on the bus route. No more missed classes for you.” 

“Damn.” Frosta said under her breath. 

“I'm going to go the bathroom and then we're leaving. Get your stuff ready.” Catra said walking back down the way she came. 

Catra walked out of her rooms bathroom feeling slightly more refreshed and noticed Adora was just relaxing instead of sleeping. “Why didn't you tell me Frosta wasn't getting picked up by the bus?” 

“Oh right,” Adora yawned. “I guess I kinda forgot. Driving her to school got to be a habit so I guess it just slipt from my mind.”

“Tch, forgetful Adora.” Catra said pulling on her shoes. “Good enough for me.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> please comment, i didn't really mention it before but i'd really like comments.

Catra pulled up to the school and undid her seatbelt to the surprise of Frosta. Surely Frosta didn't think Catra was going to hear her news about the bus and do nothing about it? She couldn't blame her. Her own mom would have done nothing just so she could scold Catra when she got notes about not showing up. And besides, maybe Catra would recognize some teachers as she walked the halls, it was a possibility. Lots of teachers don't retire and some of them started when she was in school. Surely then some of them stuck around for ten years or so. 

“You can't be serious?” Frosta said, almost offended. Catra was pleased by this slightly. Either Frosta would become a little more popular for having a famous parent, or no one would recognize her and she could easily embarrass Frosta. Oh embarrassing her child by walking next to her, how the thought sang to her. “You dropped me off, you don't have to put me on the route, I haven't missed a day yet.”

“Key word, yet.” Catra said, opening her door and stepping out. “I intend for you to have perfect attendance. And if that doesn't happen, I at least expect you not to fail.”

“Fine.” Frosta groaned, and stepped out of the car. 

The walk to the inside of the school wouldn't have been that bad if Catra hadn't felt secondhand embarrassment from Frosta. She kept her head low the whole time and tried to act like, while they were walking next to each other, they weren't together. Which didn't help much when she was the only one walking next to her in the hall, or that the hall was quite barren. Catra saw like three other kids just hanging out in the long hall they were walking down. She saw some more in halls they passed but no one cared enough to pay attention to them. Although the school was certainly full, she could hear yelling coming from the cafeteria they walked next to. 

“The office is down here.” Frosta said walking faster in front of Catra and leading her under blue metal arches that covered the door. Frosta walked through and Catra was almost hit in the face, not expecting the door to close as fast as it did. The door was heavier than she expected too, which she made a mental note to remind Frosta to hold doors open for her mothers. “We're here to put me on the bus route.” Frosta half said politely half demanded from the woman at the first desk. 

“Have a seat over there and wait, the junior principal will be back soon.” The woman behind the counter told her. 

Catra followed Frosta and sat at the two chairs by the door. They waited a while, listening to the clicking of keyboards in awkward silence. Occasionally seeing kids come in and get papers signed by the lady at the front. Eventually the Junior principal reared her ugly face. It wasn't that Catra actually thought she was ugly, but the fact that she had told Frosta no and with the way she dressed certainly brought the word to mind. 

“Frosta, good to see you again.” She said in a tone that told her that she was already annoyed with Frosta. “And you are?” She asked extending her hand for Catra as the both of them stood up. Catra ignored the hand but still answered. 

“I'm Catra, Frosta's, Mom? Guardian?” Catra turned around to see Frosta and make a perplexed face, unsure how to present herself.

“It doesn't matter.” Frosta said under her breath. Catra accepted this and turned around, proud enough that she was able to make Frosta blush from the embarrassment of the situation. 

“Frosta,” The principal said in a drawn out tone which even Catra was offended by. “classes start in a few minutes, are you going to need a note?”

“No, I can go now.” Frosta said walking around Catra and towards the door. “Bye.”

“Hmph,” The principal grunted, ready to talk about Frosta in a way Catra really didn't want to hear right now. 

“OK, look.” Catra said drawing the principals attention away from Frosta. “I just woke up, I'm wearing sweaters and a tee shirt. I'd like to leave as soon as possible so can we talk?”

“If it's that important to you then yes.” She said walking away and through the door Catra had been sitting across from. “What is it you would like to talk about?” 

“Well first of all,” Catra said sitting down in front of the desk eying the name border on the desk. “Miss. Trial?”

“Trile,” She corrected. “The kids get it wrong all the time so I'm used to correcting them.”

“Why don't I just call you Miss T?” Catra asked, causing a look of annoyance to fall over her face. 

“Well Frosta is certainly your kid.” Trile said before opening a drawer and pulling out some papers.”

“Not the point.” Catra said hurriedly. “Frosta told me that she came in to try and be put on the bus route, and was refused. I'd like our house to be placed on the bus route so I don't have to wake up in the morning so early and drag myself in clothes I fell asleep in.”

“It's true that Miss Frosta came in about changing the bus route.” Trile started explaining. “But she was going against the dress code and when I asked her to fix her outfit she began to insult me personally and use many words we don't allow on campus.”

“Like what?” Catra asked, already tired. She didn't actually care about any of that, she just wanted to go home to her wife.

“Well, this school had a very strict code about facial piercings and tank tops.” Trile stated.

“This is about the barbel I can talk to her about it.” Catra said anticipating the issue.

“It was a nose piercing Miss Catra.” This froze Catra. Frosta had a nose piercing? Why hadn't she known? Does Adora know? She hasn't seen Frosta with one, so when could she have gotten it. Particularly she was upset that Frosta would get a piercing without her. They had gone all the way out to Mermista's to get her eyebrow pierced correctly, but she didn't bring up a nose piercing then? Catra felt bad for a moment, feeling like she didn't explain why they went all the way out there. 

“I'll talk to her about that.” Catra said shaking away the distractions, she didn't come here for this. “I'm not here to hear about her behavior, I'm here to have out house put on the bus route.”

“Miss Catra I can assure you that,” 

“Look,” Catra started, putting her hand on the desk. “I'm sure both of us would be very happy if I never have to be in this room again. So I am going to ask that you just do what I ask. If I need to pay for this I can give you the money.” Catra said. 

“Miss Catra,” Trile began, sounding irritated herself. “I cannot put your house on the bus route. For that change to happen I would need to give the drivers different directions. They practice the routes before the school year begins so they know where the houses they need to stop at are. I'm not going to put your house on the route until Frosta apologizes for her behavior.”

“Then I'll have her apologize.” Catra said sitting up in her chair and crossing her arms. “But I'm not leaving until you do what I ask.”

“Miss,”

“I'm, Not, Leaving.” Catra said sternly. She watched the principal scoff and turn back to her computer. Catra half fell asleep, not moving. She watched as the minute hand of the wall clock hit five after and ringing erupted around the school.

“Miss Catra I'm going to need you to leave now.” The principal said. “I have appointments, and I'm sure you have your own work to get to.”

Catra fixed her back and sat up more straight than before. “I want my house put on the bus route.” was all she said. She locked eyes with the principal and held her gaze. Catra didn't have anything else to do that day she could wait all day if she had to. But there was no way in hell she was going to let the man win, even if the man in this scenario was some woman with a key. And the authority for a group she was no longer a part of. But she wouldn't stand it back when she was a kid and she wasn't going to cave now. 

Eventually the game of chicken was over and the principal printed out the papers that Catra needed. The process was faster than she expected. Trile was able to simply print the forms out, there was no need to get the fax machine running or call someone on the other end of the building. Catra hadn't noticed until then but she hadn't seen a single fax machine in any of the offices. Catra finished the forms, pulled out the required money and left the room. Hearing a sigh of relief from the woman she left behind.

Catra was about to leave and drive home when she got an idea. She walked back into the room and poked her head inside. “Any chance I could get Frosta's grades?”

“Now that,” Trile said. “I would be happy to do.”

“I cannot believe that girl!” Catra screamed as she walked back and forth in her living room. “I do something nice, to show I'm cool with what she wants to do, and she still goes behind my back to do them!” Catra screamed. She wasn't furious, but she was a little peeved about the whole situation. 

“Maybe she wasn't sure how far she could go, I can't blame her.” Adora said putting her brush down. “How many kids do you know that would actually ask their parents for a nose piercing?” Adora asked. She did raise a good point, but it wasn't the same point Catra was upset about.

“Frosta is the only kid we know.” Catra said frustrated. “It's probably my fault.”

“Hey now, why do you say that?”

“Because.” Catra groaned. “All I told her was that Mermista is a professional. She's seventeen for fucks sake. It's not like I handed her a guide about piercings.”

“That would be weird.” Adora chuckled. 

“Like, I should have explained it was for safety that we went to Mermista's. All she did was ask for an earring and I was driving her over. We didn't even go to get her eyebrows pierced.”

“I was a little upset you didn't tell me beforehand.” Adora said. 

“I'm sorry. You wanted pictures.” Catra responded. 

“Pictures, that's right. Frosta is our first kid and I want to capture as many memories as possible. Like the next time she gets her hair cut.” Adora said with a smile.

“She's gotten her hair cut before, Adora.”

“Not with us though.” Adora said giddily.” She's bound to ask for a haircut soon. It's been four months so she has to have one soon. I doubt she likes it long.”

“Really now?” Catra asked. “Maybe she'll dye her hair black and let it hang over her face like a goth. We did that once remember? She might grow it so long it'll hit her waist.”

“No.” Adora said. 

“No?”

“No, I'm not letting her grow her hair out that long. She can dye it black all she likes but there is no way I'm going to let her grow her hair out that long.” Adora said. 

“Adora, you're seven feet tall.” Catra laughed.

“Seven ten, and your point?” Adora asked smugly.

“Your hair goes down to your knees is my point! I can hide in that thing! I have a mane and you have more hair than me.” Catra laughed harder. “I'm a freaking cat, and you have more hair than me!”

“Well you shed.” Adora said, acting high and mighty.

“And you have never cut your hair!”

“You don't actually have a problem with Frosta having a nose piercing do you?” Adora asked, changing gears. 

“No, not really. But it does hurt that she didn't tell either of us.” Catra said, calming down. “But the thing is, we're gonna have to take her to a hospital if she does have one. I don't trust any of the places around here that give piercings. Those places are like beehives for infections.”

“Well if we do have to take her, we can get her a flu shot while we're at it.” Adora said. 

“I guess, but if we just go down to the local pharmacy it'll cost seven bucks.” Catra said. “If we go to the hospital for that they're gonna wanna do a check up and a physical and those cost like two hundred.”

“It is a scam.” Adora said solemnly. “Okay I think I'm done.”

“You are?” Catra asked, walking closer to Adora and peeking over her drafting table to see Adora's poorly painted picture. 

Adora held up her canvas and showed Catra the splotches of green. “It's a frog.” Adora said with a smile. “Today is finger painting day.”

“You have green whiskers.” Catra chuckled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thinking maybe what the burnout for married and bored was that i was posting to fast. so this time, once a week. monday i guess. i only have four chapters typed up, so theres that. also i have a crap job right now that is draining me of being alive, i wake up twenty minutes before i go to work. and by the time i go home i already want to sleep. i don't know what's wrong with me but, what you gonna do am i right?


	3. Chapter 3

Catra was idly wasting away from her nap. She hadn't gotten up to move across the floor for a good twenty minutes which was twenty minutes she spent slightly annoyed. The only reason she hadn't gotten up and moved from her darkened spot on the floor to the now sunlit areas was that she didn't want to fall back asleep. She was still stressed about Frosta and she would be getting out of school soon anyway. She told Adora that she would pick her up today since she dropped her off. She also wanted to talk to Frosta alone since she had gone behind her back specifically. 

If she was a worse person and took a note from her own mothers book she wouldn't even pick her up. Granted she wouldn't do most things of the things she's done with Frosta. Like letting her get her ears pierced for one. She started to wonder if she should even have taken her to get her piercings, maybe it was irresponsible of her. 

Catra stretched and went to the fridge for a snack. They would have to go shopping soon, the apples were going fast since Frosta was having a burst of eating as many apples as she could. When Frosta first got to their house she downed six boxes of cereal in the first month of being there. But now there was a box of cereal that hasn't been touched in three months sitting in her cabinet. Luckily Adora was still in charge of dinner on weekends and forced them all to have a nice family meal together. 

Catra assumed that Frosta must have had a TV at the orphanage. She was still quiet around dinner time, probably used to having a TV to watch instead of talk. Or rather just having snacks and not having a proper meal. Frosta snacked a lot Catra could tell, never having a full breakfast or lunch. Catra was opposed to getting a TV in the first place, even if Adora would like to convince herself it was her idea. Having one didn't appeal to her. And she didn't like the idea of Frosta having one in her room either so that was shot down when it was brought up. 

Catra put on a proper shirt this time with jeans to head out. She gave a shout through the house that she was leaving and heard a small response from Adora along the lines of, go easy on her. She walked down the single concrete step in front of the door and was down the driveway. She threw herself over the doors and into her seat and pushed the button behind the wheel to hear the car come to life. As she turned her car around in the middle of the street she opened the arm rest to make sure she didn't forget anything. The envelope she got from the principal for the bus route and a folded paper holding Frosta's grades still sat inside. Good, she wasn't going to be nearly as bad as Shadow Weaver, but she could still scheme a little. 

Catra knew one thing from the last few times she's had to pick Frosta up. It was awful. It was a larger school so there were more kids. More kids meant more parents that had to show up to pick them all up. Catra considered getting some kind of audio book to put in her radio just for occasions like this. When she was at the end of a long long line of cars that stretched around the school. If there was a clear route for the cars to go down this wouldn't have been so bad. But the entrance came after the exit so anyone that wanted to leave had to wait for an opening to somehow appear. It was an awful system that she hated. She could swear that if a single architect, or even someone whose worked in a warehouse looked at this design they would barf. Slowly but surely she managed to get up to the front of the school, although it took half an hour since she arrived later than other parents. Catra half considered just letting Frosta walk home, which if she had a phone she would have told her to walk down the street a little ways so she wouldn't have to drive through the school parking lot. 

Frosta tossed her pack into the back of the car and slowly got in the front seat. “So am I taking the bus from now on?” Was her first question. 

“Starting in two weeks you'll be on the bus route.” Catra said. Her tone quickly changing when she recalled what she had been upset over for the earlier half of the day. “And,” Catra started, causing Frosta to tense up like she was putting up a shield. “Miss T told me a little bit about what happened in her office.”

Frosta snapped her hear head around and started talking as if she prepared for this. Planning out what she would say in her defense when she was inevitably accused. “If it's about me calling her a bitch I'm not going to apologize. She deserved it for calling me,”

“I don't care about that.” Catra cut off, leaving Frosta slightly dazed. 

“Sorry?” Frosta asked perplexed. She was all ready for a confrontation, Catra knew what that felt like. 

“She's totally a bitch, I don't care about that. I told her you'd apologize but don't, I could she was half a second away from calling me one before she caved.” Catra said. “But I am upset with you for something.” Catra said more sternly.

Frosta was slightly afraid now, not really knowing what it was that had upset Catra. She was ready for being in trouble for what she thought she had done wrong. But now she was in trouble and didn't know what it was for yet, which was more terrifying. 

“But I wont be upset if I'm wrong.” Catra said, her car still crawling at under five miles an hour. Catra slowed down even more so she was almost stopped before turning her head and leaning down to Frosta. “Look to the left, please.” Catra asked and Frosta did. Catra squinted, focusing really hard to notice any outlying details. “Look up.” Frosta was confused but did as she was asked, almost laughing out of her minor fear and the absurdity of what she was doing. 

Catra turned back to the car in front of her and breathed a sigh of relief. “Wanna tell me what that was about?” Frosta asked. 

“Oh yeah, I was gonna talk to you about it either way.” Catra said, coming off a threat when she heard herself. “Sorry, I've been stressing out about it all day. Do you know why I took you almost an hour away to get your brow pierced?” Catra asked, receiving a faint shrug from Frosta. “Well it's because Mermista is a professional. Do you know why I didn't take you down the road to the local parlor shop?”

“Not really. Taylor was telling me about it and she said she got her piercings there. I don't see why we couldn't have just gone there.” Frosta said. 

“Because!” Catra almost growled. “The fucks over there get an hour of training and are handed a piercing gun. They don't clean them right or anything. That friend Taylor of yours is going to get her ear swelling withing the next month, I promise you.” Catra vented. “Which is why when that bitch of a principal told me you had a nose piercing I was upset. If you had gone to some garage that happened to have a rusty staple for a piercing and gotten an infection that's a lot of money I would have to pay for hospital bills.” Catra screamed to herself, and half to Frosta. She was more just letting her frustration out. She didn't want Frosta to feel like she was upset with her but she didn't really know how she came across. Catra turned and hurriedly asked, “Did you have piercing when you were in her office?”

“I,” Frosta started, not really expecting to have to talk. “I did, but it's just a clip on.” Frosta said, hoping it was a good excuse. 

“Well,” Catra started, breathing hard to calm down. “that's good.” They drove in silence for a little while, finally turning out of the school parking lot and quadrupling their speed. “Just,” Catra started with a laugh. “Please just tell me it's not the kind that makes you look like a bull.”

“It's not.” Frosta said to Catra's relief. 

Catra thought about it for a while and asked when they drove over some tracks, “Would you like a nose piercing? Because we'd have to go up to Mermista's place again for that.”

“I don't think so.” Was all Frosta said, trying to have a quiet ride for the rest of the way home. 

“You know,” Catra started. “My nose has sorta healed over and I'm gonna need to get ir pierced again before I go on tour. You could come with me when I get mine done.” Frosta was about to respond but Catra cut her off before she could start. “No, you know what? Family road trip, all of will head up there. While we're up there we can go to the city hall.”

“No.” Frosta groaned, slouching in her seat. 

“Yep, Adora loves that stuff. And she wants to take more pictures anyway, for memories.” 

“That sounds awful.” Frosta complained. “I'd rather stay home, you guys can do that as a date or whatever.”

“If I bring you,” Catra sang, “you'd get out of school and wouldn't have to walk home.”

And for the final few minutes of the ride Frosta finally got that silence she wanted. 

“So I didn't yell at her and she isn't in trouble, so I feel like everything went well.” Catra explained as she held onto her wife on their couch. Adora made such a nice pillow. Frosta was in her room doing homework, or whatever she did when she closed her door and turned on her stereo. She felt pretty confident that Frosta did all her homework at least. Sometimes she would ask Adora for help but never her. Good, Catra hated almost every moment of school work when she was in school. She remembers one time the school got a new shipment of dictionaries and the teacher assigned the class to choose a word from each letter. Plenty of edgy kids went the extra mile and taught the class plenty of nasty and crass words. She got to see a hilarious fun show and be lazy at the same time. She just chose the third to last word of every letter. 

“Well I would have her apologize to the principal. She did say some rude things to her.” Adora proposed. 

“Whatever she called that woman I agree. So she shouldn't.” Catra said. “Frosta's met Glimmer twice now right?”

“Avoiding the topic to get around my short term memory,” Adora laughed. “very clever. But yeah I think so, why?”

“Because I,” Catra kissed Adora's hand and started leaving pecks up her arm. “want, a night, alone with you. And because I don't want to rent a hotel room or leave Frosta alone for that long.” 

“I'm sure she'd like the alone time.” Adora said, giggling at Catra's attempts to be sexy. “You're not usually the one to be forward anyway, is it a full moon or something?”

“I'm allowed to be the horny one a few days out of the year. That's how it works isn't it? I'm horny for ten days, and you get the other three hundred fifty four.” Catra teased. “But yeah do you think we could have Glimmer watch Frosta for a while sometime this week?” Catra asked.

Adora looked away in thought and hummed to herself. “I'm not so sure Glimmer would be comfortable with that.”

“Why not?” 

“When I talked to Glimmer yesterday she kinda implied that she thought Frosta has a crush on her.” Adora said hesitantly. “And I can kinda agree with her.”

“Go on.” Catra said waiting for an explanation. 

“You know how some people just look at some people and you can tell what they're thinking?” Catra nodded along. “Well the last time Glimmer was in the room with her, Frosta's pupils were literally stars. I mean, the shape of her eyes changed into stars. That's a pretty dead give away.”

“Wow, I guess you're right.” Catra said, letting the air out of her body in defeat. “What about, Perfuma?”

“Perfuma and Frosta must never meet.” Adora said sternly. “Perfuma would just dump bags of free drugs into Frosta's lap just because she's our kid. Imagine if Frosta actually asked for anything. There would be a garden!”

“Okay, okay, no Perfuma. Got it.” Catra said still thinking. “Kyle and Rogelio?”

Adora was quiet in thought for a moment before answering. “That could work.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> had a friend at work start and quit in the same week, rip. i've been typing less so i guess i should make myself a schedule to stick to but, i suck at schedule's in the first place so, rip writing i guess.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> turns into a flashback for a bit, don't know what else to tell you

Catra leapt out of bed and rushed down the halls. Why couldn't this have happened later? She had to work tomorrow. And it was late in the night too. Almost two in the morning. Adora was too heavy a sleeper to notice or react. But Catra, she couldn't sleep with it happening. Frosta was awake now, sorta. She didn't understand how it worked or what it really was, but she got sort of used to handling it. Catra opened Frosta's door and walked in, hand carefully flipping on the lights.

Frosta's room was sort of bare. Not in the sense that it didn't have many things in it. Quite the contrary, the room's wall was littered with bookshelves full of music, posters, and books surprisingly. Lamp, dresser, and a desk with a lamp. But nothing near her bed, just in case she happened to fall out or knock something over in her sleep. Catra never really heard of teenagers with sleeping problems, but that didn't stop Frosta from having them. Catra knew that kids with them would scream and flail in their sleep when they had night terrors. She didn't doubt Frosta was one of those kids. Frosta didn't scream, but she would cry. All Catra really knew was that she shouldn't wake Frosta, that she should turn on a light, but she didn't know what else to do. The orphanage director had just told her that turning on a light helps it stop faster. 

Catra stood watching Frosta as she waited. She just wanted to make sure that Frosta was going to be fine. If not for Frosta's sake for her own. She needed sleep too, but it didn't seem like she'd get a full nights rest. 

Catra stood there for a while, Frosta eventually calmed down. Catra sighed and left the room, keeping the light on. She wasn't sure but turning the light back off seemed like a bad idea. She didn't want to upset Frosta any further.

Catra returned back to bed to find a half awake Adora resting on her elbow. “Again?” Adora asked with a yawn. 

“It's over now.” Catra said bluntly. “Go back to bed Adora.” Catra said sliding back under the blankets. 

“You first.” Adora teased. “Come here.” Adora said, raising her arms for a hug from her wife. 

“I'm coming, I'm coming.” Catra said getting under the covers. “You should start wearing a shirt to bed, it's starting to get cold.”

“No.” Adora whined. “I'll buy a heater.” 

“Shh.” Catra hushed Adora and listened. Heavy footsteps came from the hall. “Let's go to sleep now.” Catra said, making Adora practically pass out on top of her. Catra followed after her slowly, hearing Frosta go back to her own room. 

“I'm telling you it doesn't sound right.” Catra growled. “I'm trying to simply say the line louder without yelling.” Catra complained to the rest of her band. 

“I don't think it really matters that much.” Kyle said. “It is a cover song after all.”

Catra didn't know what to yell at him to get it through to him how important it actually was. Scorpia wasn't there to offer her two cents yet, she was still getting not tiny coffee ready. If they wanted tiny coffee they'd already have them. They had been waiting a while, which could only mean Scorpia got distracted. She can totally blame Scorpia for that however, she shouldn't be distracted. It's not like there was anything new hanging around her house. 

They were practicing in the usual spot, Scorpia's attic. Which meant that Entrapta probably pulled Scorpia away from them. It was tough to actually get things done there but it was the only place they could get things done at. But they still needed Scorpia to be there so they could practice. It made sense to her, that all three of them needed to be together to practice properly. Kyle and her were waiting for a while now. 

“Kyle,” Catra started, taking in a long breath. “how do I explain this in a way you'll understand? Our contract says that have to do this, right?” Kyle nodded. “And do you know what this song will be played on?” 

“In a TV, commercial bumper?” Kyle asked, kind of scared now. 

“Exactly Kyle! On TV!” Catra yelled at him. “So I'd like for this to go well. The studio was gracious enough to lend us their best equipment after all.”

“I'm back!” Scorpia said, popping her head through the floor before continuing up the steps. “I would have gotten back sooner but Entrapta was just telling me about this new study that recorded the wear and tear on exhaust pipes. And because I know about cars I was super intrigued so she kinda stole me away for a while. Did you know because of the switch to four piston engines that-”

“Scorpia, not to rain on your parade but, I don't care. We're behind on practice and I'm having trouble with the lines.” Catra said, raising her bass. 

“I was thinking about that.” Scorpia said. “Everybody wants you is already a good song, why don't we ask them to commission a different song?” 

“Because we already signed the contract. Now let's get to work.”

They practiced, and practiced, and practiced. They practiced until Kyle yelled for them to stop. He was starting to slow down after an hour and needed a break. 

“I still can't get it right.” Catra growled. 

“Hey, Wildcat? You know it doesn't have to be perfect right?” Scorpia said. “Why don't we just move onto something else for a while? We can come back to it later.”

Catra breathed hard and relaxed. “I know, but I'd like it to be. I didn't get much sleep last night so I'm a bit testy.”

“We can tell.” Kyle said. 

“Why don't we all go to our happy place? Hm? I bet that will help us out a lot.” Scorpia suggested.

“I'll go there later.” Catra shot. “For now I'll wait until you guys are ready again, and when you are I'm going to get this right.”

Practice lasted for the rest of the day. Eventually Catra finally got what she wanted and everyone left knowing they wouldn't have to go through that much just for that one song ever again. Catra got in her car and was about to start it when a thought hit her. She lifted up the armrest and pulled out the paper. She hadn't looked at it yet. She wasn't exactly sure when she should. Frosta would be home when she got there, so she should probably check it now. Catra opened up the report card and looked it over, and she went to her happy place. 

“Adora and Catra, you two will be lap partners.” Octavia said. “Now that you all are assigned your partners you can start with your project ideas. None of your projects can be the same. Otherwise we'd all have volcano's again.” She said under her breath. “Now group together all of you and start thinking of ideas for your project.” She said and suddenly the room was a buzz of kids going across the room and huddling with their partners. Plenty of kids choosing bottle rockets and almost all of them suggesting volcano's. “There will be no volcano projects this year either.” Octavia got out quickly, not because it was a rule, but because she was so tired of them. “I'll go around the class in twenty minutes to get your ideas down. If you can't think of one I have a list of accepted project ideas if anyone's interested.”

“Catra!” Adora yelled pulling around a seat to sit next to Catra. “What should our project be?”

“Maybe, mold?” Catra suggested, not thinking that hard. It was hard to think of a serious project when she was in the middle of her daydream. She was developing this one for a while and she loved to get lost in it. Zombie dinosaur attacks the school, and Adora, and Catra saves the day, and gets the girl. Seemed plausible. After all, it was a classic. 

“No way are we doing mold as our science project.” Adora said disgusted. “What about light?” 

“Light?” Catra asked. “What kind of project could we do about light?”

“I don't know, maybe how fast it travels? Oh I know, how different light affects plants.” Adora suggested. 

“You mean like under one of those red lights that are in snake cages?” Catra asked.

“Exactly.”

“There is no way mom would buy that for us. But I just had an idea.” Catra said, finally thinking about it. “There's a book in the library that basically does our work for us, we'll just copy down what it says and boom, instant C.”

“Why a C?” Adora asked.

“It's passing isn't it? Now come on.” Catra said grabbing Adora's wrist and dragging them up to Octavia's desk. Octavia was reading something and seemed to hide it when they got up to her. 

“You two have a project idea? I said I'd go around later, go back to your spot.” Octavia said, not wanting to deal with either of them. 

“We'd like to go to the library and check out a book for our project.” Catra asked.

Octavia seeming like she was in a hurry told them they could go and to grab a hall pass. Not bothering to tell them again to go back to their seats. 

“See Adora?” Catra said, flipping her laminated hall pass in the air as they walked down to the library. 

“Not really, you still haven't told me what the project is gonna be.” Adora said. 

“Animal kingdom.” Catra said confidently, receiving only silence from Adora. “Trust me Adora, there's an encyclopedia all about it, I may have skimmed it once. We'll just write about the exosphere or photosphere or whatever, some animals in a different country and boom, we'll be done. Just like that.”

“That doesn't sound very fun.” Adora said. 

“No, but it's an easy C.” 

“I still don't get how you're okay with that.” Adora said. “Mom isn't going to be very happy with a C.”

“No,” Catra said, bored. “she'll be fine with you getting a C. If I get an A she'll act like I got a C so it doesn't matter.” She said as they walked into the library. 

“Do you two have hall passes?” The librarian called out from her desk. Catra and hoisted the passes up and walked over to the desk. “It's you two.” The librarian said as if she knew them personally. Catra wouldn't know how she would. Although she did catch the both of them just staring at a book cover for about ten minutes. It was a guy turning into an antelope in like five pictures how could they look away. 

“Where are the wildlife books?” Catra asked. 

“Wildlife?” The librarian asked before a look of recognition came over her. “Oh, do you mean the animal encyclopedias?”

“I guess.” Catra said. 

“Right this way.” The librarian said, guiding them to the back of the library. It was a darker corner, where all the non-fiction books were kept. Catra didn't know why a school would have this kind of section. What kid that was at school would like a second school in their school. Which is to say, she didn't understand nerds. 

“Here it is.” Catra grabbed a book off the shelf and took it over to a nearby table. She flipped it open and skimmed the pages. “Yep this is the one. We have this project in the bag.”

“Cool.” Adora pointed to the image on the page. “It's a fish skeleton. I thought fish didn't have skeletons.”

“It says it's a, a,” Catra squinted and stammered as she tried to get the name out. “ugh, Adora can you read that?”

“Sure it says.” Adora looked at it and started reading very slowly. “Dunk-l-stus?”

“That doesn't sound right.”

“Dunk-leo-steus.” Adora said, gasping when she finally got it out. “It's a dinosaur, cool.”

Catra read the opposite page a little and grew a smile on her face. “Hey Adora.” She said covering the part she was reading. “What do you call, a group of barracuda?”

“I don't know.”

“The book says, a battery. A battery of barracuda. Guess about sharks.”

“Uh, a car engine of sharks?” Adora guessed. 

“A shiver.” Catra said, growing perplexed. “I don't get it. Sharks are fish right? And there's already a school of fish, don't sharks count in that?”

“I think it's supposed to be specific. Like sharks and barracuda are different. And it's not like there's just a fish that's called fish. That'd be dumb.” Adora guessed. “Oh, what about rhino's?”

Catra flipped to the back of the book and looked through the index. “Rhino, Rhino, page 149.” Catra flipped back through the book and landed on the right page and ran it over. “A crash of Rino's. I can't say the actual word.”

“Let me see.” Adora said and looked it over. “A crash of Rhinoceroses.”

“Are you kidding me? That's how that's said? That makes no sense,” Catra complained. “they say to sound things out but that doesn't work when the words don't look right.”

“You're still upset about colonel aren't you?” Adora teased. 

“Of course I am!” Catra said. “You sound it out, but it sounds like popcorn kernel. But it's spelled colonel, like a colony. Whoever invented this language was a dick head.”

“Catra, mom told us to not say that.” Adora said worriedly.

“She's not here right now, besides I bet dick heads travel in groups.” Catra joked. 

“Fine. Oh, what about kittens?!” Adora asked.

“Oh yeah, that's a good one.” Catra flipped to the end and back to the middle of the book again. 

“A kindle of kittens.” Adora read. “That's adorable.”

“Oh I know.” Catra said flipping again. “A parliament of owls.”

“A labour of moles.”

“A smack of jellyfish.” Catra thought that name was quite unfortunate.

“An implausibility of wildebeests.”

“An apology of Canadians.” Catra joked.

“Hey, that's not in here anywhere.” Adora said laughing. “A cowardice of curs.”

“Cur is a dog right?” Catra asked. 

“Yeah, I like that one.” Adora said.

“Why? They have coward in the title.”

“Because,” Adora started. “that's gotta be where underdog comes from right? Cause they're both dogs.”

“I guess.” Catra said closing the book and standing up. “Let's go check it out and get back to class. I don't want to get detention again for abusing the hall pass.”

“You did that?” Adora asked.

“Of course, why else would I need so many, Unf!” Catra grunted as she was shoved onto the floor. Of course, the seventh grade jerks that went to the bathroom together. It wasn't fair, they had their growth spurt. She was just ten it wasn't fair. They'd be gone soon, they'd throw some names at her to see what stuck and then they'd leave. She just had to stay on the ground and wait it out. 

She was surprised when Adora helped her up. It was the first time she wasn't alone when they came around. She didn't expect Adora to do anything. 

“You guys are a bunch of assholes!” Adora screamed at them. To Catra's surprise they had no retort, and hurried off when the librarian came down to see what the screaming was about. 

“I knew you two would end up in trouble somehow. I'm giving you both a referral.” The librarian said without asking any questions. 

Catra and Adora followed the librarian up to her desk and waited for their referrals. Shadow weaver wouldn't like hearing that they got one, and worse, that Catra was with Adora when it happened. Catra reached up and took the referral from the librarians hand. And read the paper with joy.

Catra looked at the referral again and smiled as she walked inside.

“Welcome home sweetheart.” Adora said, giving Catra a kiss as she approached her. “Have a good practice?”

“I guess, finally got the hang of the song. Frosta in her room?” Catra asked.

“Yeah, why? Do you need to talk to her?”

“Sorta.” Catra said gripping the paper in her hands. “Frosta get out here please!” Catra screamed. 

“I'm coming, I'm coming.” Frosta said as she made her way down the hall. “What is it?”

“Frosta this is a report card I got from the principal the other day.” Catra explained. “And I gotta say I'm pretty proud of you. All A's and B's. You know when I was a kid all I got were C's.”

“And?” Frosta asked.

“And, we're going out for dinner tonight. Your literature teacher left a very nice note about you.” Catra explained, raising up the paper to re read what was written. “He says, you don't work well in groups.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you made it this far i'd really appreciate a comment, just tell me what you think please


	5. Chapter 5

“So where do you want to go?” Catra asked after they all got loaded into the car.

“I'm not sure, McDonald's?” Frosta suggested half sarcastically.

“Come on.” Adora groaned. “We are not going to McDonald's for dinner. Maybe for lunch but this is a family dinner.”

“It's okay, she was just joking.” Catra said, calming Adora down. Catra could tell Adora was genuinely offended that Frosta would ask for that. At the same time it was nice to see Adora so passionate about it, but also upsetting because it was so frivolous. “Just pick somewhere that you don't usually go.” 

“Fine.” Frosta said and thought about it. “Why not, Charlie's?” 

“They do make the best subs.” Adora said.

“Charlie's it is.” Catra said starting her car. “That's at the mall isn't it?” 

“Yeah.” Frosta answered. 

They mostly drove in silence, which made the drive boring. Which Catra couldn't complain about. The rest of the day was full of frustration for her, not to mention a lack of sleep. However, the silence was too much and she had to say something when they pulled up. 

“So, since we're here do you wanna look around first?” Catra asked.

“Totally.” Frosta responded. 

“Some rules first.” Adora started. “You are not to go anywhere we can't see you. You can't have anything from the bar. If I say you aren't allowed to go somewhere, I mean it.”

“Fine, whatever.” Frosta said quickly, not really listening and getting out of the car. “Let's go.”

Catra and Adora followed close behind Frosta, careful to not embarrass her by being too close. Frosta went in the expected shops, Hot Topic, Earthbound, and Radio Shack. Frosta was very disappointed that she wasn't allowed to get the large radio with too many buttons. Catra explained slowly that if she really wanted a better radio she could get one from Entrapta. Unfortunately Frosta didn't remember her, having only met her once. 

“Oh this one next!” Frosta said, dashing down the hall.

“Oh hell no.” Adora said when they stopped in front of the shop in question. 

“Why not?” Frosta asked, staring inside. The shop was entrancing, from the colours and lights and it's banner above the entrance that read, Body Pleasure. 

“I am not going to argue with you about this.” Adora stated. “Why don't we go in that shop over there?” Adora asked, pointing to a video shop directly across the hall.

“The video shop?” Frosta said perplexed. “We don't even have a TV. Much less a VHS player.”

“Well hey,” Catra spoke up. “why don't we just go in the Emily The Strange shop, I heard they just came out with a new book where Emily goes back in time.”

“Honey, you're the only person I know that likes that book.” Adora said. “We already have two of her paintings.”

“Whatever.” Catra scoffed with the confidence that made it clear she was going to buy more no matter what. 

“How about this,” Adora started. “You can go in the Emily shop. Frosta, you can go in the video shop. And I'll go in here.” Adora said, throwing a thumb behind her. “And we'll all meet up in twenty minutes.”

“Hey!” Frosta yelled. “How come you get to go in there?!”

“Because I'm an adult.” Adora shot back. “And maybe I'll get you something if I feel nice.” Adora lied.

Frosta not hearing the lie and only hearing Adora's words grew a smile. “Really?” Frosta immediately started pointing at exactly what she wanted. “If you do, I'd like one of those.” Frosta said before leaving into the video store to waste time. 

“You're not gonna get her anything are you?” Catra asked with a smile.

“Not at all.” Adora said before walking into the pink and white shop. 

Catra walked in her store and looked around. She looked and looked but got increasingly frustrated before she couldn't find what she was looking for. 

“Hey.” Catra said, getting the attention of the worker in the store. It was honestly hard to actually find a worker in this store since they all dressed the same. Not only that, plenty of the shoppers dressed the same as well. “Any chance Dark Times is in yet?”

“No.” The worker said bored before almost turning back to their task.

“Any reason why?” Catra asked, ready to pop a blood vessel.

The worker breathed a long sigh before turning back to Catra. “Because the only copy is the display version, the actual book comes out in two months.” 

“But,” Catra stumbled, looking at the display case where the book in question sat. “That's the actual book right?”

“Yeah,” The worker said. “but it's only for display, not for sale.”

“Well then, how much would I have to pay to buy that one right now?” Catra asked. 

The worker thought it over, growing a smile on their face. “Ninety bucks.” 

“Done, get it ready for me. I'm gonna look around a bit more.” Catra said, leaving the worker happy. 

Adora walked into the video store and found Frosta near the back. She was able to spot her from the entrance, oh the joys of being tall. Frosta also saw Adora the moment she entered the store. Frosta hurried her way to the register with what she had in her arms. 

“Cash.” Frosta said as she placed her order on the main desk. She opened her wallet and handed over the money just as Adora arrived.

“What are you getting?” Adora asked. 

“Nothing.” Frosta said. “Just some records and Cd's.” 

“Ma'am,” The purple haired girl at the register started. “I need to see your ID.”

“Like, school ID?” Frosta asked worried.

“No.” The girl answered. “Parental Advisory, you need to be eighteen to buy these albums.” 

“I'm her mom, what are they?” Adora asked.

“Otep, Alice in Chains, one Coven record, do you even have a record player?” The girl asked. “And a Blink 182 mixed in.”

“Please?” Frosta begged.

“Fine, give her everything except for Blink 182.” Adora said, shocking Frosta. 

“What's wrong with Blink 182?” Frosta asked, almost offended. 

“I can understand what they say in their songs and I don't want you listening to that.” Adora said. “Now let's go meet up with Catra.”

“In the strange shop?” Frosta almost groaned. “Everything in there is somehow about cats, she's loving it in there.”

“Who is?” Catra said, sneaking up behind them. “I got what I wanted, let's go eat.”

“I can't believe you.” Adora said as she got ready for bed. “I specifically said she couldn't go in there, and look at what you do.”

“I didn't go in there Adora. There just happened to be a pleasure section in the Emily the Strange store. It surprised me it was even there. I know that the theme isn't kid friendly but the brand that represents it is. The entire theme is a kids book for crying out loud, you'd think there wouldn't be any after dark products in there.” Catra defended. “Besides, I don't have to give it to her now, I can wait to give it to her.”

“Why did you but it in the first place Catra?” Adora asked.

“Look, I was being nice when I bought it. You got her hopes up and I just happened to deliver. Although it's not blue like she wanted, it's black. Which if you ask me is not a good colour.” Catra said. “She should be able to use it if she wants to anyway.”

“Catra, if she does use it, I'm going to be the one to open the dishwasher and find it there. I don't want to be reminded that she's using that when I do the dishes.” Adora said. 

“Fine then.” Catra said getting fed up. “Maybe it's because when I was her age I wanted one. And now that she wants one I don't want her to miss out on anything.” Catra said.

“No you didn't.” Adora said.

“Fine, no I didn't. But she's a lot like me, she probably wont even like to use it if she's that like me.” Catra said.

“Look you can give it to her, you already bought it, that's over and done.” Adora said, moving under the covers. “We had our little fake fight, it's out of the way. Why did you really get it for her?”

“I just,” Catra sighed and got under the covers with Adora. “I want a good nights rest.” Catra admitted. “I thought maybe if she were less stressed she wouldn't have any more nights where she has nightmares. I don't know how else to help her.”

“Oh honey.” Adora cooed, bringing Catra in for a hug. “That's nice of you. But do you really think getting her a dildo was the way to go about that?” 

“I figured she'd appreciate it.” Catra said. “I never really got anything when I was growing up.”

“But I did.” Adora said. “It might have been better for me, but it wasn't good.” Adora explained. “Shadow Weaver showered me with whatever I wanted but she didn't understand that maybe I shouldn't have the things I asked for. Remember the baking competition?” 

“Yeah, we stayed at the bakery for five hours before the leader coughed up the first place prize. Shadow Weaver wouldn't shut up.” Catra laughed at the thought. 

“Look, I get you're trying to make Frosta feel good. And that's fine. But you need to be careful about it. You're more like our mom than you let on.” Adora said. 

“I know that.” Catra sighed. “I'm just trying to be the better half of her. The half I didn't get.”

“So you wont give it to her?” Adora asked.

“I'm still giving it to her.” Catra said. “I'll just add some things to her chore list.”

“Fine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i've been distracted a lot, so this chapter is not 2k like usual. besides, i didn't have a plan


	6. Chapter 6

“One of you has to take me to the DMV soon.” Frosta told Adora and Catra in the middle of dinner. “I need a drivers license.”

“For what?” Catra had asked, hardly looking up from her plate. Rice with corn and meat, delicious. Adora had made it special for her, using the spices that were rarely used. Adora was in a bit of a creative kick that week and it bled into everything. Hell, it bled right into the bedroom as well. It seemed that Adora was a step away from asking Entrapta about all her science junk. 

“So I have one, it's important isn't it?” Frosta argued. Catra remembered her mentioning the idea of joining the debate team, perhaps this was her way of testing the waters. Catra could see through that if it were true. The imaginary story in her head of Frosta grasping for hope to join the debate team and this being her introduction was so fun. Either she could shoot down everything Frosta said and make her feel like she wasn't good at debating, like a jerk. Or she could give in at the last minute and let Frosta have the confidence to join. But this was all in Catra's head. She really didn't know the motivation for bringing this up now. Adora might have but Catra couldn't know. Adora would have fallen for every argument. If Frosta argued that she should be allowed to shoot up heroin in the house for long enough, Adora would eventually cave. “Courtney got hers last year and has been bragging so much about driving to school herself.”

“Good for her.” Adora said sarcastically. “I'm glad she can afford the gas. Speaking of which,” Adora turned to Catra. “I was taking a walk yesterday and passed the gas station. The one by the super mart off of that one really bumpy road?”

“Yeah?” Catra responded. She wasn't really in the mood to care at the moment. She had woken up with this awful pit in her stomach and still couldn't shake it. It brought back certain memories for her, for instance the year they spent down south. Catra had puked on every winter holiday that year.

“The gas price was one thirteen, that's eight cents more expensive than it was last month.” Adora said offended. “I was even stopped by an old lady that was walking to talk about it.” Adora said. That happened a lot, being stopped by strangers to talk about just about anything. It was an odd thing she didn't think much of until she lived anywhere else. In Oregon or in California people kept to themselves on the street. Sure Catra didn't like talking to anyone on the street, it downright irritated her. But it had just seemed like a fact of life that people were going to talk to her. Everywhere else was bliss, it was great. She was left alone on walks to the bar or to the local drug dealer. She hated that bliss now. 

“Aren't gas prices in California like two sixty?” Frosta asked with all the smugness of someone who knew what they were talking about. 

“Everything is like that in California.” Catra said. “Where did you even hear that?”

“Courtney, she used to live in California and had a job up there. She brags about being rich now because everything is cheaper over here.” Frosta answered, tapping her spoon against the cleaned bowl. “We could go to the DMV next Saturday right?”

“I never said anything about getting you a license, you still haven't convinced me to let you get one.” Catra answered. 

“Didn't Shadow Weaver work in a car factory?” Adora asked. 

“No. Shadow Weaver worked in Air Force. Remember she talked about being a warehouse marker or something?” Catra answered. “She dated a guy that was in the car factory and took part time there remember?” Catra recalled the tales that Shadow Weaver would tell them when they were younger. Catra couldn't blame Adora for forgetting, Shadow Weaver talked about the guy more than the factory itself. 

“Shadow Weaver?” Frosta said the name perplexed. 

“You know what?” Catra said, quickly rising from the table. “You aren't getting a license, but I do have something for you.” Catra said and walked down the hall leaving Frosta confused. Catra returned from the hall with a small skip in her step. She had been waiting for days to give the little gift to Frosta and now seemed like the time to do it, just to make Frosta stop asking for a license. “Here you go.” Catra said handing Frosta the bag. 

“Sweet.” Frosta said as she reached into the bag and pulled out the object. “It's a, flash drive.”

Catra turned to Adora with a shrug which was returned by one of Adora's own shrugs. Neither of them knew what that meant or how Frosta knew about it. Up until a few seconds ago both Catra and Adora had thought it was a sex toy of some kind. 

“Does this mean I'm getting a computer?!” Frosta asked excitedly. And before Catra or Adora could answer Frosta got up and hugged Catra. “Thanks mom!” Frosta said before rushing to her room and closing her door. 

They were both lost there, wondering how everything went down. They knew three things now. One, the thing that Catra bought was not in fact a dildo or a vibrator and was in fact something that went to a computer. Two, both of them were ecstatic that Frosta had called Catra mom in front of both of them. And three, they would either have to buy a computer now or let Frosta down and explain why. And neither of them wanted to embarrass themselves by explaining what they had thought it was. 

“I'm,” Catra started, somehow much more tired than before. “going to call Entrapta.”

“That sounds like a good idea.” Adora said, taking the plates from the table. 

Catra was soon at the phone, fiddling with the twisted cord that looped around her fingers and arm. She was careful as she tugged at the cord, learning from her past mistakes where she accidentally pulled the phone right out of the wall. “So Frosta called it a flash drive, what is that?” Catra asked. Adora was close behind Catra, eagerly waiting the answer herself. Although she could barely make out the noise that was coming from the other end of the line. It was like it's own puzzle for Catra, trying to make out words past all the static that rang in her ear for the duration of the call. And for a while silence was all that they got. 

“I'm just,” Entrapta started, sounding really sad and forlorn. “gonna bring you guys a computer later this week. Will either of you be home Friday?” She asked. 

“You really don't have to do that.” Catra said. 

“I feel like I need to.” Entrapta said. “Do you even know what an email is?”

Catra looked to Adora. “Um, no?” 

“It's worse than I thought.” Entrapta said. “Is Friday okay?”

“I'll be home.” Catra said looking up to Adora.

“I won't. I've been invited to an art gallery.” Adora said. 

“I'll be home.” Catra said. 

“Great, see you then.” Entrapta said before hanging up. 

“I guess we're getting a computer?” Catra said, questioning the fact. 

“Didn't you have to work with a computer a few years ago?” Adora questioned. 

“You mean the job that I never showed up to but wouldn't fire me? Yeah, if you count never showing up as working with one.” Catra said snidely as the weight of the situation started to occur to her. “Oh goddess, I was going to give Frosta a sex toy.” Catra choked on her words. “What kind of parent am I?”

“Hey hey.” Adora said, bringing Catra in for a hug. “But you didn't, thankfully. You dodged that bullet.” Adora wasn't the best at pick ups. In fact Adora was awful at cheering anyone up, always so blunt and unaware of what to say. But Catra could tell that's what Adora was trying to do and that was all she needed. Although if she could she'd take Bow's pick me ups any day. Bow just had a way with encouraging words that made life seem like an adventure. Whether or not that had something to do with dating a hippie or what made him able to marry a hippie she wouldn't know. Adora continued hugging and rocking in an attempt to sooth Catra. “You know,” Adora started. “that was the first time we've mentioned Shadow Weaver around her.”

“You're right.” Catra said realizing what that meant if they kept mentioning Shadow Weaver. Eventually Frosta wouldn't just write it off and would want to know who she is. Which meant they could keep it to themselves or tell Frosta directly. Catra didn't know which was more frightening. Eventually Shadow Weaver would come around anyway and if she explained it herself things could get troubled. Especially if Frosta just met her from a random visit. Shadow Weaver didn't even know that they had adopted. 

“Is there anything you wanna do about it?” Adora asked. “October is coming up and you know how Shadow Weaver likes to come around during the holidays.” 

“Remember that time she found us in Alabama?” Catra said with a chuckle. 

“I knew she would be there but I still don't know how she found our apartment.” Adora said. “I bet it was cousin Grey.”

“Which cousin Grey? There's like seven different cousin Grey's that showed up.” Catra said. “What about the whole license deal?”

“I wouldn't give it to her until her birthday. I don't want her buying her own Cd's.” Adora said. “She needed on at the mall to buy what she picked out. Thank goodness I was there to keep her from bringing Blink 182 in the house.” 

“Oh no.” Catra said sarcastically. “Not Blink 182.”

“Hey, I don't like them OK?” Adora said with a chuckle. “Although,”

“Although?” Catra said as a question.

“I don't really feel comfortable restricting things like that from her.” Adora said. 

“What do you mean?” Catra asked. “I thought we were supposed to stop allowing her to do whatever she wants, isn't that what you said?”

“That's not what I mean.” Adora said as she walked over to lean against the counter top. “She's only been with us for a few months, if she does want to leave that's up to her.”

“Leave?”

“I'm not sure she's comfortable here Catra. She still has those night terrors and she doesn't seem to like being around us that much.”

“I used to be that way too.” Catra said. “I preferred being alone, I just eventually had people bring me out of my shell, almost by force.” Catra said with a chuckle. “Trust me, she's like me, she'll be fine. Just because she doesn't come out of her room whenever you want to play cards doesn't mean she doesn't like you.”

“That's funny coming from you.” Adora said. “Considering you never really want to play either.”

“I'll play poker and rummy but not phase ten or uno OK?” Catra said while she tested the length of the phone cord. “If Frosta is really like me she hates those childish looking cards too.”

“Maybe we should do something as a family?” Adora suggested.” Mom used to have Hordak take us hunting, maybe he'll still do that.”

“I'm not so sure about that one Adora.” Catra said. “I heard that he's with Entrapta now and that he's really obsessed with all her technology stuff.”

“What do you mean with Entrapta? Isn't Entrapta with Scorpia?” Adora gasped. “Is she having an affair?”

“No way in hell.” Catra almost laughed. “Scorpia and Entrapta are married for good reason, Entrapta could never do something like that to her. No, I heard they're trying that polygamous thing. You know, more than one partner and all that.”

“How's that work?” Adora asked.

“Well apparently Hordak and Scorpia aren't together but Entrapta is with both of them right now at the same time. Scorpia says it's working so far, mainly because her and Hordak don't really gel. I almost never see them in the same room anyway.”

“So how does the sex work?”

“Geez Adora, is it always about sex with you? Never mind of course it is. Look, I'm not going around asking about their sex life, but as I understand it, Entrapta is with both of them separately. But I don't really know.” Catra explained.

“This opens so many doors.” Adora said to herself.

“No, no it doesn't Missy.” Catra snapped. “You're already on thin ice when it comes to new things in the bedroom so don't go thinking I'm going to allow a third person.”

“Of course not.” Adora said leaning down to kiss Catra. “I wouldn't dream of it.”

“Why did you think of a hunting trip?” Catra asked. 

“I just remember we went on a lot and had lots of fun.” Adora said with a shrug.

“Oh, I see.” Catra said biting her lip, remembering exactly what made those trips so fun in the first place.


	7. Chapter 7

Catra wasn't sure what to do now. She didn't even want to come to Prom, she didn't have anyone to go with so what was the point? Watch Adora have fun with her friends? It wasn't that she was ungrateful to Adora, she loved talking to her in this dark noisy gym. Although she actually lost Adora. Adora was dragged by one of her friends and suddenly Catra was alone. Just, standing around. She felt that she didn't look right. Was she standing wrong? How does she normally hold her hands, is it weird to have your hands balled or was she supposed to keep them open? It helped that she naturally gave off an air of not giving a fuck but was was panicking with every step. That and she was focusing on drinking the smallest amount of water from her glass at a time. 

Catra wasn't looking for Adora anymore. She had tried for a while but ultimately gave up. They were eighteen now and Adora could do whatever she fucking wanted to do, why should Catra have to be involved? Catra had found herself a small area not totally occupied by her classmates. Most of them were drunk and already having a groping party in the middle of the gym. Good for them, she thought, if that's what they want to do let them. Catra couldn't find the energy or engagement to dance to any of the songs they were playing. She might love house of a thousand dances but there's only so much that she could hear it before she wanted to die. She was secluded behind the bleachers away from the teachers and chaperone's. The space wasn't that big, but it did allow enough room for the wallflowers such as herself to find reprise is a space not as loud as anywhere else. There was a sort of silent bond between her and the others that hid away, that they wouldn't fuck with her. She was obviously not in the mood to deal with any of them and there was clearly no reason for them to build a social backbone now just to talk to her. Every so often some guy from the dance floor would see her sulking away against the cold brick wall and try to approach. They seemed to get the message when she told them to spin on it and brought out her claws. How lucky she was to not be declawed like other poor souls. She felt bad for the other girls who were approached after her who didn't have built in knives, although she couldn't deny the power it made her feel. 

She didn't even want to come, and she certainly didn't want to wear a dress or heels. Stupid Shadow Weaver. Just because she didn't want to go suddenly that meant a mother daughter shopping spree where she had no say on anything except the colour. She was able to make Shadow Weaver concede on a red colour instead of blue or pink. Adora already had a pinkish dress and Catra drove that into letting her have a red dress. Her mom didn't even want to take her shopping for this, and she was perfectly fine with not having her go. But Adora had somehow wormed Catra into coming and Shadow Weaver demanded a say. Okay, somehow was the wrong word. Catra knew exactly how she was convinced to come. Adora batted her lashes and leaned in and Catra was a puddle of goo. You would think that since they had grown up together and knew each others ins and outs that she would have more of a backbone when it came to their wiles, but Catra failed in that regard. And besides, to Catra this was a date. Which felt foolish, because Adora probably didn't even remember that they had never actually stopped dating. It just made sense when dating became a thing they were supposed to do. It just made sense to date each other. 

The music blared and rang in Catra's ears. She was sick to death of hearing it. Do You Believe In Magic was ancient in the first place. She could even see some of the teachers dancing to the song. Blame generational divide all you want but none of them could dance, or had any good music taste. Only one teacher at the school liked any good music and he wasn't involved with any details of the prom. Catra felt bad for wishing this but she had hoped Adora started feeling sick or anything so they could leave. Hell, they could go across the street and eat some burgers. The details didn't really matter as long as Catra got out of there and out of her dress. Her chest was starting to hurt too. Strapless wasn't what she wanted but it was the only dress that was red that Shadow Weaver was willing to spend on her. Her dress had actually fallen forward twice already and she saw guys desperately trying to sneak a peek. They walked away thinking that they had just seen something great when in reality they just saw bandages. She wished now she just got the blue dress that her mom had shown her first, at least then she wouldn't have to worry about her tits just flying out. 

Catra swore to herself as she scanned the gym looking for Adora. She rested her chin in her hands awkwardly. Her neck was stiff and her wrist felt like it was going to pop any minute now but it was the most comfortable for just looking around. It wasn't like there was anywhere to sit really. The bleachers were all pulled to the wall for the effect of a bigger dance floor. And it seemed like if she really wanted to sit down she would have to sit between miss smokes and sir frowns a lot. And something told her that sitting anywhere near them was an awful idea. It was a sense that made her feel that she would get chronic back pain walking within a foot of the relics. It was frustrating to not find Adora. She was the tallest girl in the room with bright glowing golden hair, how could she lose her? Catra felt more skeleton than flesh as she stood there looking around. She wasn't sure how long she was leaning against the wall but she knew it was definitely longer than half an hour, and that was long enough for her. It was time to start looking for Adora in other rooms. Her first guess was the bathrooms which were on the complete other side of the gym. She would have chosen the bathrooms to stand and wait but that was where the junkies and drug freaks hung around at to get high. Not that she was better, she did the same things as them. It was just that they were only there to get high and assault anyone, she was not looking to get suspended again for slashing faces. It was awful, they wouldn't share in the first place, but just because she was also looking to get high she was supposed to also be horny? Yeah fuck that. Catra started through the dancing crowd. She held her glass out in front of her as her guide, something to pull her through the crowd. It was awful, sweaty men in suits that all had dying flowers on their suit. That was the thing about flowers. They stank, not when their alive. When their alive they smell amazing and enticing and she would even get a sense of euphoria from a rosebush. But all the guys had large bulbs decaying on their already sweaty chests. There was a certain aroma about it that made her just depressed. 

“HEY!” Catra squealed when she was suddenly lifted into the air by some random mans greasy hands. They spun her around for a while before clumsily dropping her back to the ground. Just because she was small it was easy, it wasn't even the right kind of song to do that jackass. She hated being touched. Catra got back up to her feet and was about to give the piece of crap that did that to her a piece of her mind when a familiar form came closer.

“Hey!” The guy yelled out. He was clearly drunk. Someone had spiked the drinks, they always do, it's not like the teachers even do anything to stop that from happening. That or the fuck came in drunk which was more likely. “You keep kicking me!”

“What?!” Adora said confused and continued dancing in her certain crazy beautiful way. She looked like she was just punting and moving her arms to the rhythm, but they were calculated. She went back to dancing and kicked the guy again in his shin. Adora laughed and grabbed Catra off the floor and slowly dragged her out of the dancing ring. They made their way to the side hall away from the blaring music which they could both hear clearly. Although Catra couldn't deny this room was much better, mainly because of the free cookies and other refreshments. “Where did you go?” Adora asked when they finally got to a quieter spot away from others they knew. 

“I lost track of you.” Catra answered. “Not sure how since you got that lighthouse on your head.” Catra said. She was tired, she didn't really care about what Adora was dragged away for, she just wanted to go home already. 

“I thought we were supposed to stick together on a date.” Adora laughed. “I thought you walked away.” 

“Who cares what happened. We got split up somewhere in there.” Catra groaned. “I was with, okay I was standing near Jenny. Who I'm pretty sure just got dumped or asked out by a friend because she was sobbing something bad.”

“She was crying when she got here.” Adora said. “I'm not sure why she even came if she's just gonna be sad when she's here.” 

“Well I don't want to be here.” Catra said, frustrated from all the noise and the sudden pain that arose while she was leaning against the hard brick wall. “I still haven't finished our project and we have to leave tomorrow on a hunting trip anyway. We should be home asleep.”

Adora didn't say anything for a few moments. Catra could tell Adora was enjoying kicking guys and dancing. It was a shame that Catra's other friends didn't come to prom, or if they did, didn't tell her. She really did want Adora to have a good time but she really couldn't see how she was having one. Well that was only half true. Adora liked being touched, it wasn't something Catra could wrap her head around. She just wasn't wired to understand it. How could Adora possibly enjoy it? She didn't like being come onto normally. She assumed it was just the environment that made Adora see it as less creepy. Something about how it was all around her at the moment making it fun instead of unwanted? Catra couldn't get into Adora's head about it. 

“Yeah, I think we should go home.” Adora said, surprising Catra. 

“You're sure? You aren't even drunk yet.” Catra teased.

“We can raid mom's drinks when we get home. Besides, something happened in there that makes me not want to be here anymore.” Adora said. 

“What happened?” 

“Okay so,” Adora started. “So Eileen was dancing with her boyfriend when his friend came up and he.” Adora fixed her hair and stood up. “It doesn't matter, I just don't want to dance anymore.”

“Fine.” Was Catra's response, she could tell what Adora was going to say. She had seen it happen at other dances and it was horrifying to watch. She guessed this was Adora's first time seeing it happen.

Adora passed out in Catra's arms, again. Catra didn't mind when it was Adora touching her, she was used to going over Adora's skin over and over again. They didn't have much option in the first place, or maybe Catra didn't have much choice. She wasn't sure what, she didn't feel unsafe with Adora. She never felt weak or like she didn't have control when they were in the same room. Although there was only one bed in the room that was clearly given to Adora from Shadow Weaver. Adora, the kid that got the gifts, and Catra, the kid that would have to borrow things with permission. Although there was this sense that Catra had in the back of her head whenever Adora fell asleep in her arms, that maybe at one point she did have a bed, and that Adora threw it out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> idk what i was going for, maybe that last line was meant to be creepy but, i forgot, i wrote this two weeks ago and i forgot what i was going for. please comment i guess.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> heyo this one has some smexy in it

“It's too fucking early for this.” Catra groaned as she rolled off the bed and pulled both of their backpacks out from under the bed. She normally would be a little more understanding with waking up, but they barely got any sleep last night. Well, they got enough sleep, but it wasn't very restful after the night they had. Prom was exhausting on them both and they needed at least another week to get over it. Adora handled the morning better however. Almost robotically stepping over Catra and heading to the bathroom. They had packed last night for Hordaks trip. Shadow Weaver had wanted them to go out and experience what it's like to go hunting, for some reason. Catra had assumed that Shadow Weaver was just wanting to please Hordak. Not because she actually liked him, but just something about him made her want to work towards making him happy. If anything, Catra assumed it was all those romance books that Shadow Weaver kept reading. Her wall was decorated with books by Danielle Steel and the way it affected her was awful. They made her, act different around guys. They definitely weren't turning her straight but Shadow Weaver was being much nicer to guys these days. 

Catra and Adora brushed their teeth and started to get ready to go. Almost half past three in the morning, time moving ever so slowly towards four. That's when Hordak had arranged to pick them up, and something told Catra that he would arrive at four. Not a second early or late, it just seemed his style. Oddly accurate in everything he did. Catra and Adora didn't quite know what to wear on a hunting trip. Catra had assumed she could just wear some jeans and a tee, while Adora went with her long sleeved red shirt. She looked like she was going to go play some sort of sport. If they weren't wearing the right thing, so what? It wasn't like they had anything better. Shadow Weaver had spent the last two months saving just so Adora could have a nice dress, and also what they got out of the clearance section for Catra. Neither of them knew if their mom was disappointed that they came home early. She had spent all that money on a fancy dress that was used for maybe six hours at most. 

“What do you think we'll be hunting?” Adora had asked. 

“I don't know, deer maybe?” Catra answered. What was she supposed to say, they lived in the middle of a city on a broken road with a llama farm at the end of the street. She didn't have a reference for hunting. The list of things she knew were hunted started and ended with deer. 

“Maybe an armadillo.” Adora said mostly to herself. “Or a coyote.”

“Why would we hunt an armadillo?” Catra asked. She had never thought about an armadillo, much less hunting one. 

“I heard a girl in our class talking about it a while ago. Said they put them in stew and ate them up. I'm not too eager to do that though.” Adora said sticking her tongue out at the thought. Catra considered it. They had had turtle soup a while ago when they went out to a buffet. The taste wasn't quite in the vein of 'tastes like chicken' that people had often described. It tasted like turtle, something completely different. And Catra hated the tastes like chicken line for years. Nothing had ever tasted like chicken. It was as if they were being handed a two burgers and told that they both taste the same, except on of the burgers had crab meat. It was all lies. 

Hordak eventually picked the two of them up, right at four. Catra and Adora had waited outside for nearly ten minutes because of Shadow Weavers insistence that, “He might come Early.” despite them wanting to wait inside. But Shadow Weaver was afraid he might drive by completely if they weren't outside, standing at the curb with their packs. Catra couldn't quite recall every single detail, but the biggest thing stood out to her about the truck Hordak rode. He had plenty of money, he had a nice greenish truck that had a wood panel circling the thing. At the time Catra had just thought that it was a design but after seeing it more and more she recognized that it was indeed a panel of wood placed on the outside of the truck. 

Catra and Adora fell asleep on the drive. Hordak not willing to put forth the effort of keeping the teenagers awake. They were riding for what felt like hours even as they slept. But Catra was unfortunately unable to fall asleep for some of the ride as it came to a close. She didn't recognize a thing around them. No buildings or signs on the paths they were riding. Just trees that looked like they came from somewhere far away from anywhere else she's seen. It was colder too, enough to make Adora shiver when they rode far enough away. Spring hadn't started yet but it was nearing close and it was already much warmer where they lived. It was made clear that they were far away from any town when they stopped. There wasn't a parking lot so much as a shoveled area at the top of a hill. Catra hopped out of the truck and scanned around them. There was nothing but trees, it impressed her how large the forest they were in was. And where they had parked really was the highest point around for miles. She could see far enough to see the tops of trees as her vision faded and eventually reached it's limit. 

“Listen,” Hordak had started. Handing them both jackets, surprising Catra that he would be kind enough to brink them their own jackets. Even if they didn't fit. “While we are out here you are to do as I say. If you do not then someone is going to get lost and it would be nearly impossible to find you again.” Hordak said, Catra and Adora listened intently. They had this talk from other adults before when they had gone camping. But this time were they nowhere near a lodge with real bathrooms or vending machines, they were in the middle of the forest. And this time they were being told this by a guy, which wouldn't be as frightening on it's own, but it was a guy they didn't know that well who had guns and whose eyes changed colours and glowed. Catra felt she had a right to be a little intimidated. “You two are to stick together at all times.” Hordak said holding up a finger. “If one of you has to go the bathroom, you are not to go more than ten feet away from each other. I heard a story a few years back about a guy who lost his friend for a few days because of leaving to find a spot to piss.” Hordak said, adding the unnecessary story. “And if either of you feel that you get too cold you are to come back to this spot and wait at the truck.” 

Hordak had a way with making Catra listen. It wasn't that he was very good at speaking or sounded like a general, it was just the way he spoke that happened to catch her. And they walked. Catra and Adora followed Hordak into the woods for what felt like miles. Hordak lead them with such a speed that felt like he had done this plenty of times. Perhaps there was more he should have told them, like how to read a map, how to find their ways in the dark. Perhaps he had done this so many times that those other things seemed like common knowledge. He had found a spot for them near a post of some sort and told them to lay down and be still and quiet. He handed over a crossbow he had been carrying and walked away. None of this helped Catra's spirit. They were going to be alone on the ground for hours. At some point while they were there, waiting for just about anything, she realized they were going to be there all day and he wouldn't come back until it was time to go. The day was easy at first, the sun had just about reached over the trees and was warming things up. But the waiting started to get agonizing. They were there laying on the ground for two or so hours completely silent. Adora was the first to break. 

“I don't think we're going to see anything out here.” Adora reached into her pack and grabbed a bottle. They both shared and were down a bottle. Only four left. Catra thought it was a bit unfair that Adora got the crossbow, but that was probably because of Shadow Weavers favoritism. They were just sitting there on the cold ground for hours with nothing to do. Both of them decided that anything that had them this statued wasn't worth doing. But it was kinda late to back out of it now. It wasn't like they had much of a choice in going in the first place. And they weren't heading back to the truck. They both knew the way back, it was simple. It was up the hill right behind them for maybe two miles. But neither of them wanted to risk accidentally getting turned around and going in the wrong direction. They were stuck, under heavy jackets. Adora had stowed an uno pack, the card game, in her bag and started dealing. They played for what felt like what was too short but didn't need to continue passed the amount they played. Anymore would have felt annoying. During their final rounds of the game they had mostly stopped paying attention to the game and had just been looking at each other. They had both changed recently, they no longer were in their normal sibling sync anymore that they used to have. They had started dating which had triggered the change. But it was shattered now. They had plenty of time to do whatever they wanted. But Catra wasn't quite sure what it was that they were supposed to do now. But Adora seemed to know and took the lead. Catra had her first real kiss. Heavy and sloppy, unlike the pecks that they had given each other before. It had all felt so wrong at the time. They didn't kiss as much as Adora probably would have liked. But it was so hard for Catra to kiss her seriously with the stupid jackets they were wearing. They had cuddled and giggled for the rest of the day. It was like being back home in their bed but with far more sexual energy than they could have at home. Or at least, were to cowardly to have at home. 

Hordak came around when the sun started to set to get them. Catra was grateful for that too. It was getting colder and although the air didn't feel like it should have been cold enough, she was starting to see her breaths. Hordak had mentioned that the lake was still boiling by the time he had gotten to it which was surprising. A lake? Even at the top of the hill where they had parked she couldn't see anywhere around where there could be a lake. They rode home and fell asleep on the way again. They were exhausted from doing nothing all day. She hadn't expected laying down to be more exhausting than sitting but she was proven wrong. Staying still was something Catra would hate to ever do again.

They had gotten home close to midnight, Hordak sharing a brief conversation with Shadow Weaver before leaving. It was right to bed with both of them. They could rest Sunday but they weren't going to be allowed to skip going to school Monday with the rest of the student body.

Shadow Weaver fell asleep, loudly snoring in the other room. And Catra was surprised by the lips flung onto her as their door shut. The soft hands pulling her closer by the hips and teasing her shirt line. They were lovers now. They had been playing what seemed like a game before, what felt like pretending to be dating. But now they had, whatever this was. Catra didn't quite have a word for it, but it felt good. Like some kind of door had opened up and shown her a new world of pleasure. She had felt like vomiting, but kept from it. It was pleasuring and disgusting at the same time. It made her stomach churn but made her so warm all at the same time. It had shown too. Adora taking note of what made Catra flinch in a scary way. At some point as they were falling asleep Adora had raked her nails up Catra's spine, and felt like she had seen the world being born. The mountains brimming with heat as the surface moved with a gelatinous texture. She wasn't even high.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey, been procrastinating. this chapter was written practically last minute. iceborne happened and i'm still recovering. i need to go cash my cheques tomorrow. i should also go to the library, i haven't bought any books in a while. i recommend chelsea girls by eileen myles


	9. Chapter 9

“Fina-Fucking-LLY!” Frosta exclaimed to herself as she walked out of school. Another day done, another day closer to getting a computer. Technically, it was going to be a household computer. But still, out of everyone she guessed she'd be using it the most. It really didn't seem like Catra or Adora ever used one before. So here she was, waiting for the bus to go home on a completely boring Thursday. If she was completely honest she was starting to get bored again. 

“I love your hair!” A voice to Frosta's side spoke up. Maybe they were talking to someone else. She didn't exactly recognize it as Beth or Marie or anyone she thought she knew. “How do you get it so blue?” So they were talking to her.

“It's natural, actually.” Frosta said, twirling it a little. “And you are?” Frosta turned and saw a much taller person with green skin and shockingly pointy ears. They were wearing an unzipped black and white striped jacket with a misfits shirt underneath. It was an amusing image. 

“Oh, how rude. My name's DeeTee.” Double Trouble said. “Short for Double Trouble.”

“Funny name, wouldn't happen to be a smurf would you?” Frosta asked with a chuckle. 

Double Trouble blinked and said, “Sorry?” 

“Well it's just smurfs are named after their personality.” Frosta said with a chuckle. 

“Oh I get it, but what about you? What's your name?” Double Trouble asked. 

“Frosta, which makes me a cold bitch then.” Both Frosta and Double Trouble laughed at that small joke. Although Double Trouble laughed in such a way that it didn't sit right with Frosta and made the whole situation a little uncomfortable. They laughed to loud and so cleanly, it was clearly practiced. “So is DeeTee supposed to be said like Deity?” 

“Ooh,” Double Trouble said sounding impressed. “I hadn't thought of that, but I love it. You can Call me Dee if you want. The names actually optional.” 

“Optional?” Frosta asked. 

“I have like, three other names but I'm not wearing the right make up right now.” Dee said as if they were bragging. “Trust me, if I had my make up on you would not recognize me at all.” 

“So what, you in drama or some shit?” 

“I'm more of a, use a fake ID to to improve at the mission, kind of person.” Dee said. 

“Oh nice.” Frosta said, unable to think of anything interesting to say. But she wanted to keep talking, Dee seemed really interesting and cool. They definitely kept her from getting too bored waiting for the bus. “So uh, What bus are you on? I'm on the 1929 bus.”

“I walk home actually.” Dee said. 

“So you decided to just wait here and talk to me, is that it?” Frosta asked.

“Pretty much.”

“Then what's your aim here?” 

“Tarot readings basically.” Dee said casually. 

“Tarot, are you a witch?” Frosta's eyes were practically exclamation points. Which they might have been since she's been told that her eyes oddly change shape from time to time. She didn't know what that looked like but it sounded freaky. The only other person around that she knew was a witch was Glimmer. And that totally wasn't something that went into her crush but that was besides the point. She used to have her own tarot set of cards a few years ago but those were destroyed when she took a bus to a hotel where a gang was murdered. It was more of an attraction spot but she should have known better than to just leave her bag alone. 

“No, but I overheard you talking the other day, you can do tarot readings right?” Dee asked. “My neighbor has a deck and he said he's willing to let me borrow them if I find someone who can use them.”

“I am buzzing out right now.” Frosta said. “Do you think he'd let me buy them off of him? I checked all the stores in the mall and there is practically nowhere in this awful city where you can buy them.” Frosta asked. 

“He'd probably rob you if you offered him money.” Dee said. “You willing to miss the bus for that though?” 

Frosta looked over to the buses pulling into the parking lot. Surely Catra and Adora would be fine with her hanging out with a friend. She hasn't pulled this on them yet anyway, but something told Frosta that they'd forgive her. “I've known you for three minutes,” Frosta turned back to Dee, “But sure. Let's go.” And with that they started down the sidewalk around the school. 

“I got a bike we can take.” Dee said. 

“No shit, you ride a motorcycle to school?” 

“I fucking wish.” Dee said as they walked to a bike rack. “Just a normal bike, sorry to let you down. “I actually have to stop over at St. Marks Place. I have ten bucks on a TV but I don't think I'll actually use a TV.” 

“Shame. My house doesn't have a TV either.” Frosta said. “Which bike?” She asked as they approached the bike rack. 

“The black one.” Dee said as they unlocked and rolled it away from the others. 

“Pink tassels too.” Frosta said with a chuckle, also noting the basket. “I would have assumed green.”

“Because my skin is green right?” Dee said with a smile. “What, is your favourite combo black and blue?” Frosta was quiet. “Holy shit it is.” 

“So what if it is? Black and blue is powerful.” Frosta said in defense. Dropping her bag in the basket. 

“Hey, hey,” Dee started laughing. “do you know what else is black and blue?” 

Frosta sighed and relented. “What?” 

“Bruises!” And suddenly Dee was in a laughing fit. 

“Alright, alright.” Frosta said as she winged at the awful joke. She walked around the bike and put her feet on the bars. “You can ride with me back here right?” She asked placing her hands on Dee's waist. 

“To be honest you're the first person to actually ride with me, it'll be a nice change of pace.” Dee said.

“So no then? You could overshoot a turn just a little and I could fall off and die. Good to know.” Frosta said sarcastically. 

She only came close to dying twice, both times when a truck went by them. But it was otherwise smooth sailing. Frosta had never hitched a ride on a bike before. Despite having given the ride plenty of times. Frosta didn't actually know where St. Marks was. For all she knew she was being taken to her murder site of her own free will. But that was sort of the fun of it right? The thrill of not knowing what was actually happening, it was fun. At least that's how Frosta saw the whole thing. Although in reality St. Marks Place was just a small building with a sign on the window actually selling TV's. They had pulled into the parking lot of the small building, and that made Frosta fill with both joy and disappointment. She didn't know what she was supposed to expect. Maybe St. Marks would be a large building with it's own franchise all across the country she didn't hear about. Or maybe it would be a mom and pop store. Or it could be what it was, a small building with a flat top which looked like it used to be a gas station. Dee hopped off the bike, stumbling as they maneuvered with Frosta in the way. Frosta could have gotten out of the way, but was being a bitch about it. Hell, it's not like she didn't have a right to. 

With the paper that Dee had excavated from their bag they made their way inside. It smelled like stale gum mixed with plastic and wax. Frosta hung back at the door not wanting to get in the way of anything. She watched Dee walk up to the man behind the counter and they started yelling, about what she didn't know. Frosta was more focused on the intense sense to go around and feel the static from every screen. She held back her urge long enough for Dee to walk back and grab her wrist to leave. 

“You got some money on you right?” Dee asked. Of course Frosta had money. Why wouldn't she? And even if she didn't that would be funny, daughter of a rock star walked outside penniless. “We're gonna get some cheap beer for the guy. Knowing him he'll give you the tarot pack for a cheap bottle of La Croix.”

“La Croix? The dude doesn't have anything else to drink or something?”

“Last I heard he was jobless and still waiting on getting SSI.” Dee said. “Speaking of which, have you ever thought of getting a tattoo on your face? I heard if you do you're legally recognized as UN-hire able, and then it's really easy to collect SSI.” 

“I don't know about my face. But I have thought about one for my arm.”

“Oh, like a dagger or something?” 

“I was thinking a band really. Something that goes around. I think if I have a dagger, or really anything on my shoulder that doesn't go around then I'd get super irritated.” Frosta explained. 

It was nice, Frosta thought, riding on the back of a bike. It was almost more fun than actually riding it herself. It was hard to think she hadn't done this sooner back when she had a bike and even earlier. She had been going to the same school for months and didn't actually bother to hang out with anyone. This was great, not going home after school and just talking with friends. And Dee was really nice, all things considered that didn't lead to her getting an axe through the neck. 

Dee rode to the nearest gas station and pulled out a fake ID. Walked in and got the beers like it was nothing. It was impressive. At her old place she had to smuggle the beers out and was funny prepared to do it again. But Dee had taken some money from her and told her to stay. Although something told Frosta when she watched the whole thing go down that the ID isn't what helped. The register worker had just looked far too tired to actually care. Frosta had a feeling she could commit murder in front of the worker and they wouldn't care. It was a similar deal with the neighbor with the deck. Although in their case they seemed to already be high on something and was too fucked up to care. It occurred that they probably hadn't needed to offer the beers. The man had gone inside his home and emerged almost ten minutes later with a deck in his hands. It was like receiving a new puppy. Frosta and Dee had gone back to the street where they had left the bike and were admiring the pictures and designs on each card. She felt like she could sit there for hours and just admire the art. 

“And these things tell the future right?” Dee asked, curious. It was clear Dee hadn't actually known that much about what tarot cards did or how they worked. “Because I would really like to know my future as a time traveling farmhand with a flying fish as a pet works out.” 

“What, the fuck did you just say?” Frosta asked with a chuckle. “No, they don't tell the future.”

“Then what's the point?” 

“They're just,” Frosta started. “They're supposed to help guide you. Like, they don't tell events they tell about things like,” Frosta struggled to find the words. “About how an event will impact you or, what feelings you might be having soon, or about what's happening now.”

“So like,” Dee reached an arm around Frosta's shoulder and plucked a card out from the deck and held it up. “what if I get this card?” 

“That's not,” Frosta grabbed the card away from Dee and looked at it's design. “How that card works. It's not for the future. The three of swords signifies negative emotions, in a sense. But it's not for things like telling the future. It's for general readings, like relationships and jobs and hobbies. Lots of stuff. I don't know.” Frosta said, getting worn out from trying to remember. 

“Don't know?”

“My Tarot deck was stolen a long time ago and I've forgotten a lot of stuff alright? My brain is burning itself trying to remember.” Frosta said. 

“Do they make books on this sort of thing? I could probably get you a book if you need one.” Dee said. 

“That's really sweet. But I don't need one. I have this friend of my moms that's a witch, I'm sure if I ask, she'll be happy to teach me some things.”

“Well then,” Dee said bringing themselves to their feet and extending an arm down for Frosta. “I really should be getting you home now, if my mom looks out here and sees you then I am dead. She is like, super Christian, and I don't want her to start screaming to me about witchcraft.”

“I get it.” Frosta said lifting herself up. As she got up she gave Dee a small peck, who didn't seem to unfazed by what she had done. Which was not the reaction she was going for. Dee's smile didn't change from the one they had first met with almost three hours ago. It irritated Frosta, be fazed dammit. What was the point of doing that if they weren't going to be fazed. 

Something that did faze Dee however, was when Dee had dropped Frosta off at her house. Particularly the fact that the Lesbian Rock Start that was on a pin sticking into Dee's pack was also sitting on the front porch when Frosta got there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry sorry sorry sorry for this being so late, i've just had so much happen, car crash, being sick, and being all around tired and lazy af. i read the comic i feel sick recently and i've had an idea for a fanfic for that story. i recommend the comic "i feel sick" by the way. also i have tried to work on this many times and have been frozen by, time i guess, i don't know. also if i ever make any continuity errors, please know it's because i haven't gone back to read my own story and i forgot what ideas i had for it before

**Author's Note:**

> hey this is just an idea in motion, as you can tell I'm out of practice when it comes to writing so this is me trying to get back on the horse i guess. i decided to do this instead of just continuing my other story, married and bored but with jobs. i left that story on a cliffhanger i guess because i couldn't really think of how to make the next thing i wanted to happen happen. i couldn't find a way to bridge the two things so i stopped. but people seemed to like it, i think, so this is a different marriage au. Where Catra and Adora don't have sex problems. They have a kid, Frosta. they don't need to move. Glimmer is their friend and not a total creepy fuck. and Shadow Weaver wasn't as bad i guess. more fluff i suppose. i kinda wrote the entire other story before season 2 so i think season 2 and 3 just broke me when it came to continuing that story. but now i'm doing this. i hope season 4 doesn't break me too.


End file.
